Top 10 Home Invasion Horror Movies (Part 1)

Watching The Aggression Scale on Tuesday and blogging about it yesterday got me thinking about the very best examples of the Home Invasion subgenre of Horror. Time for another list!

See my Top 10 Home Invasion Horror Movies after the jump.

A Clockwork Orange (1971): Relatively tame by today’s standards, the infamous Home Invasion scene in A Clockwork Orange almost earned the film an X Rating. It’s still chilling to see the absolute glee with which Alex and his droogs dispense rape and violence upon an unsuspecting couple. Because of this film, the song “Singing in the Rain” will always carry a sinister undertone for me.

Inside (2007): While I’ve never been a pregnant woman (or a woman of any kind), I imagine being knocked-up is kind of like a “home invasion” (the home in this metaphor being a uterus). So a Home Invasion movie featuring a pregnant protagonist is like a double whammy. Readers of my blog know I love Extreme French cinema, and Inside is one of the very best examples. Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach.

The Purge (2013): Fuck you, I liked it. I know I’m probably the only Horror blogger on the planet willing to admit it, but The Purge really tickled my fancy. I love the dystopian spin this film puts on the Home Invasion subgenre. I’m looking forward to The Second Chapter of the Purge (the working title for the sequel) set to be released this summer. I entered a contest to be an extra in the film (so keep your fingers crossed for me, won’t you?).

The Strangers (2008): Kristen: “Why are you doing this to us?” Female Stranger: “Because you were home.” This short but chilling exchange is the defining moment of dread in the film The Strangers. This film is probably responsible for the resurgence of the Home Invasion subgenre in recent years (at least in America). The dead-eyed, frozen masks the intruders wear made them instant horror icons. A planned sequel produced by Rogue Pictures has been put on hold, which is a goddamn shame in my opinion.

You’re Next (2013): Last year’s crowd-pleaser You’re Next catapulted the Home Invasion subgenre into the forefront of Horror cinema. What sets this film apart from the others on this list is that the intruders come to regret choosing this particular target. And you thought YOUR family gatherings were stressful! Recently released on Blu-Ray and DVD, You’re Next is a must-have for film collectors.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of my Top 10 Home Invasion Horror Movies.